Evaluation

Evaluating the impact of volunteering more widely can be vital in helping to promote volunteering inside and outside the force.

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Monitoring and evaluation of the programme should be given careful consideration. The purpose is to identify weakness and reward achievement. Without any measurements of achievement it is impossible to say whether the programme is successful or not. All monitoring and evaluation should be clearly linked to the programme's objectives, against which they can be measured. Information might include:

Diversity information e.g. age, gender, ethnicity

How volunteers heard about the programme

Roles and hours undertaken by volunteers

Use of resources

Costs e.g. expenses, administration, training

Effectiveness of systems and procedures e.g. recruitment

Public perceptions of volunteers

Reasons for leaving.

Having collected the relevant data, it is necessary to review and evaluate it. For evaluation to be effective there must be four essential factors:

The objectives should be clear from the beginning and should be written down

There must be sufficient relevant data available about what has happened

The evaluation must be independent and unbiased. This means that the people undertaking it must be willing to be critical of the programme and its achievements

Following the evaluation there must be a willingness to change the things that are wrong with the programme.

Useful Documents

These documents are supplied as examples of good practice by participating forces.

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